Innovations in post-harvest treatments against rice and legume weevils

The Operational Group is developing a project that aims to reduce the incidence of the presence of insects in seeds intended for human consumption (cereals and legumes) by applying radiofrequency, an energy-efficient and waste-free strategy, which would also allow savings in the application of pesticides and avoid their prevalence in the final product.

The development of strategies that minimise the use of pesticides and, consequently, the risks associated with their consumption, represent a great improvement, especially if the alternatives can be energy efficient, and contribute to minimising the carbon footprint of industrial activities that are associated with the marketing of agri-food products.